Call of Duty: Black Ops

"A lie is a lie. Just because they write it down and call it history doesn't make it the truth. We live in a world where seeing is not believing, where only a few know what really happened. We live in a world where everything you know is wrong."

Call of Duty: Black Ops, is the seventh main Call of Duty game, the third main game of the series developed by Treyarch and the sequel to Call of Duty: World at War. The game was published by Activision and for PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and the Nintendo Wii. Officially announced on April 30th, 2010,[3] the game was released on November 9th, 2010.

Contents

Gameplay

Call of Duty: Black Ops differs from most previous installments, which would involve a usual three-country campaign while Call of Duty: Black Ops features two playable countries (Russia and the USA), but only has an American campaign. Players play from the perspective of Captain Alex Mason of the MACV-SOG, Jason Hudson of the CIA, and Russian-born soldier Viktor Reznov of the Red Army. The game also introduced several new features, such as dive-to-prone and the available use of a flashlight on certain weapons. Furthermore, the campaign's playable characters now speak while being controlled by the player.

Plot

The game is set in the Cold War era. Much of the Call of Duty: Black Ops campaign is told through the eyes of SOG and CIA operative Alex Mason, primarily through flashbacks. Mason is asked questions by an unknown interrogator about a numbers broadcast which is being used to contact Soviet sleeper cells in the United States. These questions set the stage for the campaign missions.

The first mission is a flashback to Mason's participation in the Bay of Pigs Invasion in April of 1961, a doomed effort to assassinate Fidel Castro. At the end of this mission, Mason is captured by Castro's soldiers and given to Nikita Dragovich as a 'gift.' He is held captive at the Vorkuta Gulag, a Russian labor camp, for two years.

After further interrogation, Mason recounts how, during his imprisonment at Vorkuta, he befriended Viktor Reznov, a former Red Army soldier and a returning character from Call of Duty: World at War. Reznov assists Mason in sparking a prisoner uprising at Vorkuta, which facilitates Mason's escape from the prison.

After Mason escapes Huế City, the campaign shifts to a mission in Kowloon, Hong Kong, where Hudson and Weaver is sent to find and interrogate Dr. Clarke, a scientist working under Dragovich. The mission goes awry, and Clarke is killed while Hudson seeks to escape Dragovich's men.

Then, after further interrogation, Mason reveals the story, as told to him by Reznov, of the history behind Dragovich, his associate, Lev Kravchenko, and German ally, Dr. Friedrich Steiner. These events take place shortly after World War II. They detail Dragovich's discovery of the German biochemical weapon, Nova 6, and illustrates his ruthlessness as he murders his own soldiers to witness the effects of the weapon, including Reznov's close friend, Dimitri Petrenko. This mission ends with Reznov asking Mason to promise him that Petrenko's death will be avenged, and Dragovich, along with his allies, Kravchenko and Steiner, will be killed.

The interrogation moves back to 1968, and Mason describes how he and the rest of his squad from the SOG fight their way through Viet Cong-controlled territory in an ultimately futile attempt to chase an elusive Kravchenko, and are later sent to locate and investigate a downed Soviet plane containing Nova 6. During this investigation, Mason, Woods, and Bowman are captured by the Viet Cong.

Again, the perspective switches to Agent Hudson, who is sent on a mission to infiltrate a Soviet base in the Ural Mountains, a suspected development center of Nova 6. The control room the facility is rigged with explosives in a trap set by Dragovich, but Hudson's team is contacted remotely by Dr. Steiner, who gives his location and promises, in exchange for safety from Dragovich's systematic elimination of "loose ends," information on cracking the numbers broadcast.

After this mission is completed, Mason describes to his interrogator how Bowman was killed while imprisoned, and how he and Woods escape from their Viet Cong captors. Mason and Woods fight across a vast swath of Vietnamese land in a stolen Mi-24 Hind to reach Kravchenko's base. At this base, Mason again meets Reznov, who leads him through the base towards Kravchenko. When Mason reaches Kravchenko, he seemingly commits suicide with his bandolier of grenades, apparently killing Woods in the process. Mason and Reznov then recover documents that lead them to Rebirth Island, the location of Dr. Steiner.

Mason's story converges with Hudson's at Rebirth Island, as both fight their way through a Soviet Nova 6 research and production facility to reach Dr. Steiner. Hudson engages in an all-out assault on the facility with light armor and a squad of CIA operatives, while Mason sneaks into the facility with Reznov. Mason reaches Steiner only shortly before Hudson, and watches as Reznov murders Steiner.

However, when the same story is retold through Hudson's eyes, it is revealed that it was, in fact, Mason alone who shot Steiner, while exclaiming that he was Reznov and would have revenge. The flashbacks end and the interrogation continues. Hudson reveals himself to be the interrogator and confronts Mason face-to-face in a desperate bid to break him free of his brainwashing. In this mission, it is revealed that, while at Vorkuta, Mason was subjected to severe mental reconditioning in order to turn him into a sleeper cell who would perform Soviet missions in America. However, Reznov 'hijacked' this conditioning and used it to instill in Mason an absolute devotion to complete Reznov's vow for revenge: to kill Dragovich, Kravchenko and Steiner. Reznov was actually killed in the escape from Vorkuta, and, therefore, all subsequent appearances of his character are merely a part of Mason's imagination, brought on by the intense nature of the brainwashing Mason experienced.

As the reprogramming of Mason's brain is finally broken, Mason recalls the origin of the numbers broadcast, a ship off the shore of Cuba called the Rusalka. In a CIA raid on the ship and the underwater broadcast station over which it is anchored, Mason strangles Dragovich to his death and sinks the broadcast station, ending the threat that the sleeper agents presented to the United States.

Computer Codes

At the main menu, the player is strapped to the chair in which Mason is interrogated. By rapidly pressing the left and right trigger (Xbox 360), L2 and R2 (PlayStation 3), or spacebar (PC), alternately shaking the Wii Remote and the Nunchuk, the character can break free of the chair and move freely about the interrogation room. In the back of the room, near the left corner, there is a computer terminal that can be accessed by the player.

Zombies

Call of Duty: Black Ops features the return of Zombie Mode from Call of Duty: World at War. Zombie Mode can be played solo, split-screen, and online with up to four players. Two Zombie maps are included with the game, and seven are currently available as part of the four map packs. Call of Duty: Black Ops also features a unique mode called Dead Ops Arcade.

Multiplayer

New features

The multi-player map "Summit"

While still following the same leveling-up features of the three previous main Call of Duty titles, Call of Duty: Black Ops multiplayer has many new features.

Instead of unlocking weapons, equipment and perks by leveling up, CODPoints are introduced. To purchase everything the player would like in multiplayer, CODPoints must be spent. This currency is earned through regular gameplay, as well as from leveling up and completing Contracts. However, certain items become available only when the player has reached a certain level.

Another new feature is the Playercard. It details players' progression through multiplayer, allowing viewing of in-depth stats, ranging from Kill/Death Ratio to the number of times a player has used a certain Killstreak reward. It also links to recent games players have taken part in and from there links to the Theater. Players can view their friends or recently-met players' Playercards and also interact with their statistics. Emblems make a return from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, though instead of unlocking them through gameplay, they are completely uniquely customizable, allowing up to 12 different layers of different images, which are bought with CODPoints. However, layers are not lost through prestiging.

The Theater is also introduced in multiplayer. It allows players to watch their own recent games, allowing a free spectate of the entire map while the game plays, as well as recording and uploading 30-second segments to the internet. It also allows players to spectate any other player who played alongside or against, while watching the gameplay. 100 games are stored in "Recent Games".

As a minor addition, most of the maps have ambient activity or noise in the background, and/or interactive items, such as the train on WMD, or the doors in Radiation. Before, most multiplayer maps either had limited background activity, such as Carnival from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, or no background activity at all.

Ranks

Leveling up still is a major part in the game; weapons are unlocked through progressing levels, but still need to be bought. Players unlock all Perks, Grenades, Equipment at level four, along with Create-A-Class.

Returning features

Customizable Killstreaks make a return, however a main difference from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is that kills from the killstreak rewards do not make an addition to their users' current streak, meaning unlocking higher killstreaks is more difficult as they are only unlocked from weapon, melee, grenade and equipment kills.

There are also now regional filters involved in matchmaking. Users can select whether they'd like the game to find a host from all over the globe or having a local host at the expense of time searching for games.

The Wii version of the game includes in-game voice chat. This is the first Call of Duty title to include the voice chat feature for the Wii. Nintendo and PDP have partnered to release the first headset to be used with the Wii known as PDP's Headbanger Headset.

Included is the option to censor the game, removing much of the foul language in the campaign and gore. This returns from Call of Duty: World at War. Unlike Call of Duty: World at War, censoring the game does not prevent the foul language from being said in the campaign. It should be noted that the Numbers mission on the Wii will not be subject to the gore censor, as it was changed to a cinematic level, with no censored version made available for scenes with gore.

Downloadable Content

Combat Training

Combat Training is a new game mode in which players battle against AI opponents. It is intended to help players who are new to multiplayer or players who want to try out new tactics. Players can adjust the AI opponents difficulty to Recruit, Regular, Hardened or Veteran much like the single-player campaign. Higher difficulty settings increase the AI's ability to detect others and fire. Recruit and Regular AIs react poorly or not at all to be fired upon, and are unaware of players sneaking up on them. They aim slowly onto their target, firing slowly. Hardened and Veteran AI use all their resources to detect enemies, and aim and fire quickly upon targets. Combat Training can be useful for trying new loadouts, as it is easy to get a lot of kills, getting high killstreaks that are normally difficult to acquire in multiplayer, and consequently a lot of money and XP by playing with a large amount of AI on a low difficulty setting, on a small map such as Nuketown or Firing Range.

Contracts

Contracts are a new system in addition to the classic challenge system in Call of Duty: Black Ops. A player is able to buy a contract with CODPoints, which will then direct them to complete an objective. Completion of a contract will yield a higher CODPoints payout than what was originally paid for the contract itself, and, for more expensive contracts, XP is payed out as well. However, there is a time limit to complete a Contract; if the time limit expires, then no reward is given whatsoever.

Wager Matches

A new mode with a separate ranking structure than the standard online modes allows players to gamble with their CODPoints. However, only the top three will receive the prize. They will be able to choose the buy in of 10, 1000 or 10000, and also which game mode to play of following (when buying in with 10000, the game mode is random):

One in the Chamber - Each player is given an M1911 with one bullet and a knife. One hit from any weapon will kill a player. For each kill achieved, the player will receive one more bullet. However, each player will only have three lives. Whoever has the most points at the end wins, not particularly the last person standing.

Sharpshooter - All players are given the same weapon when they spawn, selected at random. Every 45 seconds, a new weapon is selected at random and used by all. Consecutive kills will award the player with perks and score multipliers. The player with most points at the end is the winner.

Sticks and Stones - Each player receives only a Crossbow, Ballistic knife, and a Tomahawk. The catch in this game mode is that if a player is killed with a Tomahawk, they lose all of their points. Whoever has the most points at the end wins.

Gun Game - Players start out with a Python. For each kill with their main weapon players move up a tier, granting them a better gun. First person to achieve kills with all 20 weapons, wins. If the time limit runs out before a player can get a kill with the last weapon (the Ballistic Knife), the player at the highest gun tier at the end wins. However, someone who is knifed or commits suicide will move down a level. If a player suicides, any kills that ensued due to the suicide (via a rocket launcher) is voided. Killing someone with the knife under any circumstances will not advance the player up a tier. Due to the tier system, ties tend to be more common.

Create-a-Class

Early version of the Create a Class in Black Ops.

Create-a-Class 2.0 allows players to customize their appearance in addition to their load-out. Players may see what their character looks like while choosing a class, as the player's basic appearance will be determined by their Tier 1 Perk and their faction. Players are also able to choose a Face Paint pattern.

Some sights such as the Red Dot Sight can use custom reticules which includes choice of shape, as with lens and shape colors.

Gun camouflages are far more numerous than in previous Call of Duty games.

Players now have the ability to engrave Clan Tags and Emblems onto their guns.

The AC130 might have been planned to be a killstreak, but it was scrapped, supported by _ac130.gsc found in the game files.

PC-only information

The PC version of Call of Duty: Black Ops features dedicated servers.[4]

Modding tools and the leaning feature have returned.

The PC version uses Steam as DRM and is using VAC as an anti-cheating tool.

Players can choose a server via a server browser screen or use matchmaking to send a lobby to a server chosen by the game.

Dedicated servers must be rented.

Unranked servers are completely customizable while ranked ones let the renter choose levels and game types.

Console-only information

Treyarch has claimed that it will be close to impossible to use any kind of mods or glitches in Call of Duty: Black Ops. But it is not impossible, recently mods were released on the PlayStation 3, possibly Xbox, that allows you to gain a large amount of XP in certain games.

Glitchers can be permanently banned.

Hackers will have their stats reset, and will be permanently banned.

Offensive emblems can result with a permanent ban. Microsoft stated that using the Swastika symbol on the emblem will also result with a ban.

Matchmaking has been changed so that it is easier for friends to play together, as there is now an in game friends list.

Private Matches

Players can customize private matches to a much larger extent then any previous titles of Call of Duty.

Custom games can be uploaded to the player's file share for the community to play.

Players can create custom classes for the people playing the match to use.

Players can customize the killstreak awards granted to the people playing the match, both changing the reward and killstreak need to attain it.

The points system can be customized, including the points gained from kills, headshots, suicides and knives.

The health system, weapon power, and explosive power can all be customized separately.

Updates

The latest version of the game is 50.25.46.3 and is applied through an update. Currently only announced for the Xbox 360.

On the Nintendo Wii version the multiplayer version shipped was 0.0.1. Late November it was updated to 0.0.12 (and the 1st option changed from "Nintendo Wifi Connection" to "Black Ops Online"). On December 9, it was updated to 15.0.12 (0.0.20 flashes right after the update is complete).

Downloadable Content

The first map pack for Call of Duty: Black Ops, First Strike, became available for the Xbox 360 on February 1. It was made available for purchase on the PlayStation 3 and PC one month later. It costs 1200 Microsoft points or $14.99, and includes four multiplayer maps and one Zombies map.

The second map pack, Escalation, became available on May 3 for Xbox 360, June 3 for PC and June 10 for PlayStation 3. It features four new multiplayer maps, and one Zombie map. It costs 1200 Microsoft Points or $15.00/£12.00, and includes four multiplayer maps and one Zombies map.

The third map pack, Annihilation, became available on June 28, 2011 for Xbox 360. It was then released on the PlayStation 3 on month later. It costs 1200 Microsoft Points or $15.00/£12.00, and includes four multiplayer maps and one Zombies Map.

The fourth map pack, Rezurrection, became available on August 23, 2011 for Xbox 360. It costs 1200 Microsoft Points and includes the four original Zombies maps, one new Zombies map, a Zombies skin, and downloadable songs. It is free to those that bought the Hardened or Prestige Editions.

None of the map packs were ever released for the Wii version, despite the fact Activision did initially plan to and it was even mentioned in the game's instruction manual.

Retail Editions

There are three retail editions:

The Normal Edition, with just the game, box and manual. This edition costs approximately $59.99/£45.99.

The Hardened Edition comes with the game, a CD steelbook case, a Black Ops Medal, a Woods avatar outfit for Xbox Live/PSN Home, and four exclusive co-op maps, which are the four zombie maps from Call of Duty: World at War. This edition costs approximately $79.99[5] / £64.99[6]

Achievements & Trophies

Sequels

The sequel, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, is the third title in the Black Ops series, and the ninth main installment for the Call of Duty franchise. It was revealed on May 1st, 2012 and was released on November 13th, 2012 for most platforms while the Wii U edition was released for NA regions on November 18th, 2012 and PAL regions on November 30th, 2012.

The second sequel, Call of Duty: Black Ops III, is the fourth title in the Black Ops series, and the twelfth main installment for the Call of Duty franchise. It was revealed on April 26th, 2015 and was released on November 6th, 2015.

The third game of the series, taking place between Black Ops II and Black Ops III, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, is an upcoming fifth title in the Black Ops series, and the fifteenth game in the Call of Duty franchise. It was revealed on May 17th, 2018 and is scheduled release on October 12th, 2018.

Nintendo Wii Version

The Nintendo Wii version was also made by Treyarch, and has many of the features of its console counterparts. There are, however a few omissions due to the limitations of the Nintendo Wii console itself. They are:

Mission #9, "Crash Site" has been shortened. The player can only steer the boat in the first part of the mission. The rest is unchanged.

Mission #15, Redemption has been shortened. Instead of engaging enemies from the chopper, the chopper simply drops Mason and Hudson off. The rest is unchanged.

Golden camouflage is more yellowish, and does not shine. The synthetic parts that replace wood are also still wood. Most veteran players would commonly call it as "Mustard Camo".

The missions "U.S.D.D." and "Revelations" does not let the player control Mason, instead it is like a video clip. Most of the scenes on "U.S.D.D." are cut out.

Many lines spoken by the multiplayer narrators are cut.

The Nintendo Wii version never received any map packs, but multiple patches.

However, there are some things exclusive to the Nintendo Wii version. These include:

With the Wii Remote and Nunchuck, aiming can be performed through motion controls by pointing at the screen. Alternatively, players can use a Classic Controller for more traditional controls, although the lack of clickable analog stick changes the layout slightly.

All weapons can be tilted sideways with motion control, except rocket launchers. It can be disabled in the options menu whenever the player wants to.

The usernames of players can be colorized. As the game uses in-game profile names for the usernames, players can change the colors of their name by writing a caret symbol and a number before a string of text ( Example: "^1Bob"). The different numbers apply different colors.

All pistols and certain submachine guns are held with one hand because of weapon twisting.

The hip fire reticle can be customized if the player were to use a Wii Remote (cannot be done on a Classic Controller Pro).

Camouflages appear on different parts of some weapons, for example, a Siberia camouflage on the L96A1 will appear on the base of the gun rather than the scope or barrel.

Some perks function differently from other versions: Ghost Pro will protect a player from Attack Dogs in the Nintendo Wii version.

Nintendo DS Version

A Nintendo DS version of Black Ops version was released on November 9, 2010. The game was developed by n-Space, the developers of the previous three Call of Duty DS games.

Controversy

Cuba has condemned the release of the game as it has special forces trying but failing to kill a young Fidel Castro, killing instead a body-double. The Cubadebate website said the game "encourages sociopathic attitudes of American children and adolescents, the main consumers of these virtual games".[11]

Adam Biessener of Game Informer questioned some of the events depicted in the singleplayer Campaign stating that they push "the lines of good taste." Specifically noted was the scene depicting the torture of a restrained prisoner.

In Germany, the game was expected to be banned from public sale at the end of November due to graphic violence, leading to removal of all promotion and the game itself from public displays in stores, so only adults can buy it on request. The Federal Department of Media Harmful to Young Persons also received an "urgent request" to ban all international versions of the game based upon the "Nazi content". Video games are not treated as art in Germany, hence Call of Duty: Black Ops is classified as propagation of Nazi ideology.

Maverick Code

If the player decodes the phonetic alphabet code names (X-ray, Sierra etc.) into their first letters, and changing the serial numbers into letters (A-1, B-2) in the beginning of each level, and removing all the Xs, the player will get this message, "Reznov is dead, or is he dead, there was no body, is he who he says he is".

Trivia

In the ending credits, the book next to the woman repeating the numbers is John F. Kennedy's Profiles in Courage.

In the beginning of the trailer, the numbers 2010:3:2 are visible on a digital clock. This was the day Call of Duty: Black Ops was announced, March 2, 2010.

The teaser trailer narrator is nowhere to be found within the actual game but his lines are used by different characters, Dragovich: "When he regains consciousness double the voltage.", Hudson: "We need to bring back," and Reznov: "The pain is difficult, isn't it?".

Treyarch employed a motion capture technology similar to the one used in James Cameron's Avatar film, which captures the whole performance of the actor, as well as allowing accurate facial expressions.[12]

Call of Duty: Black Ops is the first game that Treyarch has ever devoted their entire staff to with no other games in development.[13]

Both Major John Plaster, who served in the MACV-SOG during the Vietnam War, and Sonny Puzikas, a former Soviet Spetsnaz operative, were consulted by Treyarch for the game.[14]

A promotion for Call of Duty: Black Ops featured in Game Informer magazine stated that the first 300,000 to pre-order the game will receive a two sided poster, and on the other side is something potentially helpful to the player.

The main menu of the game appears to be the same room seen in GKNOVA6.

In the opening video, when the Treyarch symbol is shown, next to it are the numbers 11-9-10, the release date for Black Ops.

The multiplayer characters, for the first time, do not make random idle movements (such as hand signals) apart from the occasional shifting of the body or hands.

According to a video by Kevin Sherwood (here), originally there were going to be 10, 15, 20 and 25 killstreak tunes.

The first letters of the map packs for Call of Duty: Black Ops spell out FEAR: First Strike, Escalation, Annihilation, Rezurrection.